Gluing or gumming articles



June 23, 1942. 'A 4 H, H BEASLY 2,287,720 l GLUING on GUMMING ARTICLES Filed .July 5, 1941 Sheets-Sheet 2Y INVENTUR H. 4H. BEASL E7.

BY? fe., W N ATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /NVENTR H.H.BEASLE1*. BY ra ATY'ORNEY H. H. BEASLEY GLUING 0R GUMMING ARTICLES Filed July 5, 1941 June 23, 1942.

Patented June 23, 1942 GLUING OR GG ARTICLES Harold Holmyard Beasley, Ashton Gate, Bristol,

.England Application July 5, 1941, Serial No. 401,211 In Great Britain June 20, 1940 9 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved means gum, and has for its objectto improve upon and accelerate the glue or gum applying operation so as to ensure a rm uniform application and adequate spreading of the glue or gum on the desired Zones of the articles.

The invention is particularly useful where it is required to apply a very tacky or heavy glue to envelopes and other articles during the course of their manufacture, as in this connection it has been found that the customary devices used for gumming envelopes and other articles are not eiiicacious with very tacky gum or heavy glues.

In carrying one form of the invention into practice the gumrning device comprises an endless flexible support for bristles so as to afford a band-like brush, the band being supported on a pair of rollers suitably driven so that the bristles, which are stiff bristles, contact with a roller immersed in a reservoir.

The endless brush has an upper track located parallel with and close to an endless feeding belt between which and such upper track are fed the envelopes or other articles, and in the case of envelopes or the like, they are arranged in an overlapping manner so that only the areas of their flaps to be glued or gummed are exposed to the bristles of the brush. Suitable conveying means is provided for feeding the line of articles to the gluing or gumming stage and to carry them therefrom to a discharge point preferably via means for drying the gum on the articles.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect drawings are appended hereto illustrating an embodiment thereof as appiled to the gumming of envelope flaps, Iand wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of the gluing or gumming apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a sectional 'elevation on the line 2a 2a of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 isa detail sectionalelevation showing a suitable means for tensioning the endless support of the brush, and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic -inverted plan View showing how the envelopes are arranged for gluing or gumming their flaps.

Referring to the drawings the line of envelopes to have their flaps glued or gummed (hereinafter referred to as gummed) ifs-'indicated in Fig. 1 by the broken line I, and the envelopes are arranged in an overlapping manner in a continuous line as shown in Fig. 4 so that only the areas of their flaps to be gummed are exposed downwardly to the upper track of an endless brush I8 which transfers gum from a reservoir 2 to the exposed faces of the flaps of the envelopes between the dotted lines Ia (Fig. 4).

The continuous stream of envelopes is fed to the gumming stage by means of two endless conveyors 3 and 4 preferably of the bottle slat chain type, the inner tracks of these conveyors 3 and 4 being close to each other so as to firmly support the stream of envelopes. As the envelopes emerge from between the drums 5 and 6 over which these two conveyors pass they enter the gumrning stage and their flaps are pressed against the upper track of the brush I3. This pressing of the envelope flaps is effected by engaging the upper side of the stream of envelopes with the lower track of an endless conveyor or feeding device 'I which can be in the form of a parallel pair of endless belts which engage the longitudinal marginal parts of the envelopes 'but do not cover the whole of the area of the flaps so that there is a certain amount of yield of the aps. In addition to these two belts there are provided a suitable number of rollers 8 the peripheries of which engage the lower track of the conveyor or feeding device I and so ensure a uniform pressure against the upper face of the stream of envelopes. p

The lower side of the stream of envelopes is also engaged during the gummng stage by marginal portions, this engagement being by means f of a parallel pair of skids 2l) `each supported by the inner ends of a series of pins Ii). Each skid has provided therewith rollers II which also engage the lower faces of the envelopes near their longitudinal edges. The pins Ii) are adjustable translatively in bosses I2 which are locked in position by set screws I3, these bosses being formed with prolonged sleeves I4 to firmly support the pins I0. Side frame plates I5 support the skids and adjacent parts of the envelope feeding mechanism.

The upper track of the endless gumming brush I8 is substantially in the same plane as the upper edge 'of the pair of skids 2l) which can be adjusted to Vary the extent of their engagement with the envelopes or to compensate for different widths of envelopes. The endless brush I8 is supported on a pair of circumferentially grooved pulleys 2| and 22, the pulley 22 being rotatable on bearings 24a carried by a centre pin 24 fixed in relation to and projecting unilaterally from a frame member 25. The other pulley 2l is keyed to one end of a spindle 23 to the other end of which is xed a gear wheel 55 in mesh with a further gear wheel 56 carrying a sprocket wheel 51 driven by a chain from Aa suitable driving member. The pulley 22 is adjustable for the purpose of varying the tension of the endless brush, and for this purpose the centre pin 24 can support a bush 21 having a periphery which is eccentric to the pin 24 and about which is fixed the bearings 24a for the pulley 22. The outer end of the bush 21 has affixed to it a cap 28 having a radial nger-piece 29 for rotating it, a grub screw 3) fixing this cap to the bush 21. The outer end of the pin 24 carries by a centre screw 24h a locating plate 3 I. When the bush is set in the appropriate position it can be locked therein by any suitable means.

Gurn is transferred to the endless brushing device I8 by a roller 33 immersed in the reservoir 2 and contacting with the lower track of the endless brush, this roller being driven by the chain or belt 34 which is passed over the sprocket 51 driving the gear wheel 55. A dog or flexible coupling 35 connects one end of the spindle 35 of the roller 35 to the chain wheel 51, and the chain also passes over further wheels 31 and 38.

The reservoir with its gumming roller may be adjusted relatively to the brush I8 for the purpose of varying the depth of contact of the roller with the bristles and also for moving the roller 33 clear of the bristles. Such adjustment is effected by means of a cam 39 engaged in lugs 4U depending from the reservoir and actuated by a lever 4I.

The endless brush is driven at a greater speed than the speed of the feeding belts or conveyor 1 and consequently at a greater speed that the rate of travel of the envelopes. By this means the envelope flaps which are the leading ends of the envelopes can travel in the same direction as the operative face of the brush and be adequately-coated with gum without risk of altering their relative positions or turning back the flaps. As the envelopes issue from this gumming stage they are conveyed via a drum 42 into a reverse direction of travel for the purpose of conveying them to a delivery point preferably via heating means for drying the gum on the aps. A parallel pair of endless bands 43 engage half the circumference of the drum 42. and' extend over a pulley 44 close to the eXit end of the gumming stage so that the envelopes pass in a continuous plane from the gumming stage on to the bands 43. nal marginal parts of the envelopes clear of the gummed areas of the flaps so that the gummed faces of the flaps are remote from the surface of the drum 42.

A supplementary spaced pair of rollers 45 can assist in maintaining the envelopes in this plane as they leave the gumming stage. The drum 42 with its bands 4'3 and also the drums 5 and 6 with their conveyors 3 and 4 are supported by one end of a main frame 46, and this end of the main frame can be adjusted upwardly by means of a cam 41 engaging a rotary abutment 43 just beneath the drum 5. This adjustment of the main frame enables adequate clearance between the lower track of the pair of belts 1 and the brush This pair of bands 43 engage the longitudibeing guided over a pulley 5), fixed skids 49a engage over the marginal edges of the envelopes on each side of the gummed portion. Adequate tension of the two belts 43 is obtained by means of adjustable pulleys 5I supported by the adjacent end of the main frame 46.

To ensure the pair of bands 43 adequately pressing the envelopes towards the drum 42 as they approach the drum a pair of rollers 53 are urged against the belts by leaf-springs or other resilient means 54. This affords a certain amount of yield which is useful when taken in conjunction with driving of the roller 42 and the pair of bands 43 at a greater speed than the rate of delivery of the envelopes from the gumming stage as by this means the envelopes are moved relatively to each other longitudinally to partially separate the gummed areas of their flaps thereby obviating risk of successive aps adhering to each other.

The endless gumming brush is preferably a canvas or rubber belt formed with or carrying a plurality of parallel transverse dovetail or T section channels in which t correspondingly shaped bars 5I carrying bristles 52.

It will be appreciated that by employing a brush of the character described, and mounting it adjustably relative to the plane of gumming, that the bristles will work in and spread the gum rmly and uniformly over the appropriate surfaces. The use of an endless rubber member carrying the bristles so as to present a parallel track to the articles being glued or gummed is a great advantage as compared with a simple circular rotary member as it ensures adequate gluing or gumming by reason of its relatively wide wiping area. Although the drawings show the invention applied to an envelope making machine it is applicable to many purposes.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for gluing or gumming articles comprising a driven endless conveying or feeding device for the articles, an endless driven gluing or gumming member adapted to brush or scrub the articles and located immediately subjacent to said conveying or feeding device over which the articles are adapted to be fed by the conveying or feeding device, a parallel pair of longitudinal skid bars located opposite sides of the upper track of the said endless brushing or scrubbing member and adapted to engage marginal parts of the articles during their passage across the brushing or scrubbing member, means to adjust the space between said skid bars, means to feed the articles in a continuous stream between the said conveying or feeding device and the gluing or gumming member, and means to withdraw and traverse the articles away from said gluing or gumming member at a greater speed than their rate of travel over such member.

2. Apparatus for gluing or gumming articles comprising a driven endless conveying or feeding device for the articles, an endless driven gluing or gumming member adapted to brush or scrub the articles and located immediately subjacent to said conveying or feeding device over which the articles are adapted to be fed by the conveyor or feeding device, a skid device adapted to engage the articles during gluing or gumming, means to feed the articles in a continuous stream between the said conveying or feeding device and the gluing or gumming member, and means to withdraw and traverse the articles away from said gluing or gumming member at a greater speed than their rate of travel over such member, said withdrawing means comprising a cylinder, a parallel pair of laterally spaced endless bands partially encircling the cylinder and presenting an entrant track or surface for the articles tangential in relation to said cylinder and in the plane of travel of the articles away from the gumming stage, said pair of bands being adapted to engage the longitudinal marginal parts of the articles.

3. Apparatus for gluing or gumming articles comprising a driven endless conveying or feeding device for the articles, an endless driven gluing or gumming member adapted to brush or scrub the articles and located immediately subjacent to said conveying or feeding device over which the articles are adapted to be fed by the conveying or feeding device, a parallel pair of longitudinal skid bars located opposite sides of the upper track of the said endless brushing or scrubbing member and adapted to engage marginal parts of the articles during their passage across the brushing or scrubbing member, means to adjust the space between said skid bars, means to feed the articles in a continuous stream between the said conveying or feeding device and the gluing or gumming member, and means to withdraw and traverse the articles away from said gluing or gumming member at a greater speed than their rate of travel over such member, said withdrawing means comprising a cylinder, a parallel pair of laterally spaced endless bands partially encircling the cylinder and presenting an entrant track or surface for the articles tangential in relation to said cylinder and in the plane of travel of the articles away from the gumming stage, said pair of bands being adapted to engage the longitudinal marginal Aparts of the articles.

4. Apparatus for gluing or gumming articles comprising an endless bristle carrying brushing member, means adapted to drive it uni-directionally, means to convey the articles in a continuous chain across said brushing member at a speed different from the rate of travel of the brushing member and in the same direction of travel as the brushing face of such member, means to maintain a substantially flat surface engagement of the brushing member with the articles, means adapted to press the travelling articles against the brushing member, and means to withdraw and traverse the articles away from said brushing member at a greater speed than their rate of travel over such member.

5. Apparatus for gluing or gumming articles by a continuous operation comprising a driven endless conveying device for the articles, a pair of rollers, an endless brush supported by said rollers with an upper track parallel with and immediately subjacent to said conveying device, a pair of skid bars parallel with the longitudinal edges of said brush and adapted to engage marginal parts of the articles travelling along the upper track of said brush, means to press the conveying device and brush towards each other to obtain a close flat surface contact of the articles and brush, means to feed an adhesive to the brush, gearing transmitting drive to the brush rollers and said conveying device at relative speeds, means to feed the articles in a continuous stream between the conveying device and brush, and means to withdraw the articles from the brush at a speed greater than their rate of travel across the brush, said withdrawing means comprising a cylinder, a parallel pair of laterally spaced endless bands adapted to engage marginal parts of the articles and partially encircling said cylinder and presenting an entrant track or surface for the articles tangential in relation to said cylinder and in the plane of travel of the articles away from the brush.

6. Apparatus for gumming articles in a continuous manner comprising, in combination, means including a driven endless gumming belt having bristles on the outer surface thereof presenting a brushing area to the articles, means including a driven conveying belt positioned above said gumming belt, said conveying belt being constructed and arranged to convey and press the articles in a continuous chain in contact with said bristles, and means to supply gum to said bristles.

'7. Apparatus for gumming articles in a continuous manner comprising, in combination, means including a driven endless gumming belt having bristles on the outer surface thereof presenting a brushing area to the articles, means including a driven conveying belt positioned above said gumming belt, said conveying belt being constructed and arranged to convey and press the articles in a continuous chain in contact with said bristles, means to supply gum to said bristles, and means to drive said gumming belt at a speed different from the speed of said conveying belt.

8. Apparatus for gumming articles in a continuous manner comprising, in combination, means including a driven endless gumming belt having bristles on the outer surface thereof presenting a brushing area to the articles, means including a driven conveying belt positioned above said gumming belt, said conveying belt being constructed and arranged to convey and press the articles in a continuous chain in contact with said bristles, means to supply gum to said bristles, and guide means constructed and arranged to engage the articles during gumming.

9. Apparatus for gumming articles in a continuous manner comprising, in combination, means including a driven endless gumming belt having bristles on the outer surface thereof presenting a brushing area to the articles, means including a driven conveying belt positioned above said gumming belt, said conveying belt being constructed and arranged to convey and press the articles in a continuous chain in contact with said bristles, means to supply gum to said bristles, and means including a conveyor to withdraw and move the articles away-from said gumming belt at a speed greater than their speed of travel over said gumming belt.

HAROLD HOLMYARD BEASLEY. 

